Billfold with unstitched center panel



June 3, 1952 E. HUGHES BILLFOLD WITH UNSTITCHED CENTER PANEL Filed June 28, 1951 June 3, 1952 E. HUGHES 2,599,261

BILLFOLD WITH UNSTITCHED GENTER PANEL Filed June 28, 1951 zww-srmm 2 Patented June 3, 1952 BILLFOLD WITH UNSTITCHED CENTER PANEL Edgar Hughes, Joplin, Mo., assignor to The Meeker Company, Inc., Joplin, Mo., 0, corporatlon of Missouri Application June 28, 1951, Serial No. 233,962

3 Claims.

This invention relates to improvements in billfolds or pocket wallets. particularly of the kind shown in the Elliif Patent No. 2,514,042 dated July 4, 1950.

One of the principal objects of the present invention is to provide a billfold with an unstitched center panel which slides longitudinally as the billfold is folded and unfolded. Another object of this invention is to provide a simple and cheap center panel construction for a billfold that eliminates pasting or stitching as well as cloth 3nd portions and several operations in manufacure.

Still another object of this invention is to provide a, billfold with a smaller bottom opening at the fold line thereby improving the appearance of the billfold. A still further object is. to provide two readily accessible hidden pockets. each approximately half the length of the unfolded billfold.

These and other objects and advantages will become apparent hereinafter.

This invention is embodied in a billfold comprising a full length pocket having an outer side wall and panels forming portions of the inner side wall, each of said panels having a longitudinal slit therein. and an unstitched center panel which bridges the space between said panels, said center panel having tongues thereon which cooperate with said slits so that said center panel slides longitudinally with respect to said panels as said billfold is folded and unfolded.

The invention also consists in the parts an In the combinations and arrangements of parts hereinafter described and claimed.

In the accompanying drawings, which form part of this specification, and wherein like numerals and symbols refer to like parts wherever they occur:

Fig. 1 is a plan view of the blank from which I a billfold embodying my invention is made,

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the partition member for the full length pocket of the billfold,

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the novel center panel which bridges the space between the two end pock Fig. 4 is an inner side elevational view of the unfolded billfold, v

Fig. 5 is a top plan view of the unfolded billfold.

Fig; 6 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken along}; the line 6-6 of Fig. 5 showing the inner wallsjof the end pockets and the inside flap of the novel'center panel, and

Fig. 7 is a vertical cross-sectional view taken through the full length pocket after said billfold 2 has been folded and shows the center panel in its innermost position in the end pocket.

In the accompanying drawings, my invention is shown embodied in a billfold of the kind having a pocket A, which extends the full length of the billfold and is open along the top edge thereof, and end pockets B that open toward the transverse medial fold line of the billfold and overlie each other when the billfold is folded on said fold line.

This billfold comprises a blank of leather or other flexible material that is shaped to provide an oblong body panel, which forms the outer, wall I of the full length pocket A, and end panels that form the outer walls 2 of the end pockets B. The outer wall I of the full length pocket A has a narrow upper marginal finishing flap 3 that extends from end to end thereof, a small lower marginal finishing flap 4 that is folded over and adhesively secured to the inner face of said wall at the transverse medial fold line thereof, and two lower marginal locking flaps 5 that extend from the finishing flap 4 to the ends of said wall and are notched, as at 6, at their ends to provide looking tongues! at their free corners.

The outer wall 2 of each end pocket B has an upper marginal flap 8 of the same size and shape as said outer wall, and a lower marginal locking flap 9 which is notched, as at III, to provide looking tongues I I at its free corners, the locking flap 9 being of the same size and shape as the looking flaps 5 along the lower margins of the outer wall I of the long pocket A. The upper marginal flap 8 of the outer wall 2 of each end pocket B has a longitudinal slit I2 along its free margin; and said flap is folded upon the inner face of said wall to form the inner wall of said end pocket. Each inner wall forming flap 8 is also provided with a short longitudinal slit I3 near the outer margin thereof as shown in'Fig. 1, said slits I3 being near the fold line when said billfold is folded. The locking flap 9 along the lower margin of the outer wall 2 of the end pocket is folded over and adhesively secured to the other face of the foldedover inner wall forming flap 8 below the slit I2 therein and the'free margin of said locking 'fiap inserted in said'slit. The folded end pocket forming portions '2, 8 and 9 are folded over the inner face of the outer wall I, and the adjacent locking flap 5 along, the lower margin of said outer wall is foldedupon the locking flap 9- and its margin also inserted in the slit I 2 and adhesively secured to the similarly inserted margin of the locking flap 9 and to the inner face of the inner wall forming jflap 8 of the end pocket, the

*ed; "size of the bottom opening 23 in the billfo'ldwhen looking at the innerside of thebillfold: as. in

locking tongues at the ends of the two locking flaps extending beyond the ends of the slit [2 and thus preventing said locking flaps from being pulled out of said slit. A liner M of paper or other suitable material of the same size and shape of the inner wall forming fiap 8 is then adhesively" securedv 'flatwise to the inner face thereof'and to the inserted margin of the looking flap 9, thereby entirely covering the joint between said flaps.

l of leather or other flexible material. The. center panel l5 comprises a facing flap IS with an inside flap l1 hingedly secured thereto; asat l8. The inside flap I1 has'an-upperporti'on l9 and a lower portion 20 and is provided with looking tongues 2| having short longitudinal slits 22;

extending inwardly therefrom. The tongues 2| and the slits 22 of the inside flap I1 areadapted' to cooperate with the longitudinal slits [3 in the *inner walls '8 of the end pockets B.

In assembled position; the ends of "the 'fac- 'ing'fiap' lB'ex-t-end into the opp'osingmouths of the end pockets B and terminate short ofthe hottomsthereofl Thus, the fa'cingfiap lfi'bridges the spac'e between the two endpockets B. The outer edges ofthe upper portion [9 of the inside "flap H and the locking tongues 2 are also positio'ned 'within' the end pockets B. The lower portion 20 of the inside flap [6 is positioned within the run length pocket A. The hinge or fold lfl is at the top o-f'the billfold. When looking intothe end po'cketsB of the assembled billfo'l'd' onlythe facing fiapf-B'isseen. This facing flap l fi 'c'overs theupperporti'on land the looking tongues-21' which also ar'e positionedinside ths-endpockets-B; The facing flap 16 isof sufficient height-'tm-ex tend' entirely across th8"}811'd pockets-B and slides 'f'reel'y in and outiof theren'd 'pdokets B""as'the billfold" is folded and unfold- This construction substantially lessens the 4; During the ielding (and unfolding thetongue's 2i and slits 22 slide longitudinally with respect to the slits l3 in the inner walls 8' of .the; end pockets B. Figs. 6 and 7'show the extremeposi- "tionsof the center panel I5 in the unfolded and folded positions of the billfold respectively.

Located in the full length pocket A ista-longi- 'tndinal folded partition panel C of leather; or other fiexible material which extends substantially'from end to end of 'said p'ocketrand is attached -tothe upper edge otthcouter wall]; there'- of by 'adhe'sively securing the upper.' marginal finishing fiapt of'said outerwalll toonelongitudinalmargin' of said panel. The remaining portion of the panel C is left free and-extends downwardly, as at 24, in the pocket A alongside the-outer wall thereof. to form with. saidlwall. a hidden or secret compartment, and-:thenc'e up:- wa'rdl'y, as at 25, between. said downwardly ex.- t'ending'p'ortion and the inner wall of. said pocket to form two upwardly opening compartments. *Acces's maybe had totheihidden compartmentby grasping the free upper margin of the upwardly folded portion 25 of'the partition panel and pulling this portion together with the downwardly foldedlportion' 24 of saidtpanel-out'of the pocket A.

Two smaller secret compartments are also formed. with the'rpresentfcenter: panel 15: These "smallersecret compartments are located in the end pockets B and are formed between the inner wa'll'forming flaps Send the end facing-flap: ITB. Access=may be had to either of thesesnraller This billfold is provided with a center panel-1.

4 secret compartments by removing an end of the facing flap 16 from the end pocket B. The smaller secret compartments open toward each other so that the entire space between the facing flap I6 and the inner wall flaps 8 can be used as a full length secret compartment if desired.

' The. hereinbefore described billfold construction has numerous advantages in addition to those set forth in the Elliff Patent No. 2,514,042

dated July 4, 1950. The bottom opening 23 can be-madesmallerthan with previous forms of center panel constructions. Cloth end portions are eliminated from the center panel and no stitching-whatever is required for the center panel. The-thickness ne'a'rrthe bottoms of the end pockets is reduced since no cloth must be folded upon itseltxwhen the-billfold is folded. Several steps in manufacture are eliminated.

Obviously, the hereinbefore described construction can be used in other forms of billfolds such as those with" bellows folds at"theb'ottoms-of-"the end pockets. It can be used with any construction wherein a space must be bridged in sucha manner that the bridge must slide. The hereinbefore' described invention admits of considerable modification without departing therefrom except as defined in the claims. Thereforefl do not wish to be limited to the precise arrangemen'tsshown and described.

What I claim is:

1. A billfold having a full'len'gth pocket open ing along the upper edge thereof and two end pockets that open toward each other in the-unfolded position of said billfold and overlie each other in-the folded position of said billfold said billfold includin a paneLfOrming theoute'r side wall of said full length pocket andihaving end ex;- tensions folded'to form the inner and outer'side walls of said end pockets and portions of.th e'.-'in;- ner side wall of said full length pocket, each'of said inner side walls of'said end pockets having a longitudinal slittherein, and a center panel hayin'g'a facing flap and an inside flap, said facing flap being positioned tobridge thespaceLbetWeen said end pockets" and slide therein, said inside flap having tongues. thereon with longitudinal slits extending therefrom, said tongues. on said inside flap beingadapted to cooperate with said longitudinal slits in said inner side walls of said end'pockets.

2. A billfold having a full'l'engthpocketopene ing along the upper edge thereof and two. end pockets that open toward ea'ohioth'e'r in the unfolded'position of said billfold and overlie each other in.the folded position of said billfold, said billfoldincluding a. panel. forming the outer side wall "oisaid full length pocket andyhaving endex tensions folded to form the inner andouter. side walls of. said end pockets and. portions. of the inner side wall of said fulllengthpocket, each. of said inner side wallsof said end pockets having a longitudinalslit therein, anda centerv panel having. a facing flap. and an inside. flap. with afold therebetween, saidfacing, flap-being positioned to bridge the space between said end pockets-and slidetherein, said fold positioned at the upper edge of said billfold, said inside flap having tongues thereon with longitudinal. slits extending therefrom, said. tongues on said inside. -flap-being adaptedlto cooperate. with said longitudinal slits in". said inner: side Walls of said-:endpockets, said tongues having a longitudinal dimension longer than said longitudinalv slitxinisaidiinner sidewalls for; preventing said tongues from s'lippingouu'of 5 said slits, said facing flap and said inner side walls forming a hidden compartment.

3. A billfold having a full length pocket opening along the upper edge thereof and two end pockets that open toward each other in the unfolded position of said billfold and overlie each other in the folded position of said billfold, said billfold including a panel forming the outer side wall of said full length pocket and having end extensions folded to form the inner and outer side walls of said end pockets and portions of the inner side wall of said full length pocket, each of said inner side walls of said end pockets having a longitudinal slit therein, said panel having lower marginal flaps that extend upwardly between said panel and said inner side walls of said end pockets and are secured thereto above the lower side edges thereof and form bottom portions of said full length pocket and bellows fold connections between the lower margin of said 20 4 panel and the corresponding margins of said inner side walls of said end pockets and a center panel having a facing flap and an inside flap, said facing flap being positioned to bridge the space between said end pockets and slide therein, said inside fiap having tongues thereon with longitudinal slits extending therefrom, said tongues on said inside flap being adapted to cooperate with said longitudinal slits in said inner side walls of said end pockets.

EDGAR HUGHES.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 2,484,682 Broughton Oct. 11, 1949 Elliff July 4, 1950 

